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AN Irish woman has become the first adult in the world to receive a
revolutionary remote-controlled spine, which uses magnets to combat the
effects of scoliosis.
After years of painful operations Deirdre McDonnell has had a 'robo spine' inserted Deirdre McDonnell, 34, can now stand tall for the first time after undergoing the pioneering MAGEC rod operation.
The surgery, also known as the magnetic expansion control system, involves the insertion of a magnetic rod that is screwed onto the spine and controlled externally in order to correct the curvature caused by scoliosis.
Up until now, the £15K procedure has only been performed on children, as it was thought only to be effective for early onset scoliosis – typically diagnosed before the age of ten.
But thanks to the success of Deirdre’s operation, doctors are now hopeful that the bone implant will help other adults, many of whom have undergone a number of unsuccessful and painful invasive surgeries in an attempt to straighten and lengthen their spine.
“The operation has completely changed my life. Before, I could only walk short distances without being in pain but now I love to walk everywhere," said Deirdre, from Drogheda, County Louth.
“After more than 30 years of operations and taking painkillers, I’m finally hopeful for the future.”
The 34-year-old had a magnetic rod screwed onto the spine to correct the curvature. Deirdre
underwent her first operation at just six weeks old after she was
diagnosed with congenital scoliosis, which affects one in 10,000
new-born babies.
Her spine was so malformed that doctors warned she wouldn’t live past the age of seven.
Over the next ten years, she underwent eight painful operations as doctors battled to save her life.
Beating the odds, Deirdre survived childhood and trained at college to become a teacher.
But the secondary effects of her scoliosis eventually left her unable to work.
She said: “Because my spine was curved at 130 degrees, it formed into a C-shape and my lungs didn’t have room to expand so they never grew to full size.
"At my worst, my lungs were operating at only 30% of what they should have been.
“This meant that I was constantly poorly with pneumonia and chest infections. Doctors said they didn’t know what else they could do.
“Things got so bad that my doctor told me that if he didn’t operate, I’d be dead within ten years.”
As a child her spine was so malformed doctors warned she wouldn’t live past the age of seven.
Although MAGEC rod technology has existed since 2011, doctors initially didn’t see it as an option for Deirdre as it had previously only been performed on children.
However, after running out of options, doctors decided to operate.
Tallaght Hospital in Dublin was able to secure funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Deirdre underwent the three-hour operation in June last year.
Over the following months, her spine was straightened at regular intervals.
Now fully recovered, Deirdre says
she is looking forward to a healthy, happy future with her boyfriend,
solicitor Robbie Slattery, 32.
She said: “I’m no longer in pain, and I feel so much more confident in myself. Even little things like being able to wear pretty dresses or sit comfortably have made such a change.
“I feel so lucky to have been able to have this operation – it really has changed my life.
“Before my dad passed away in 2009, he told me that he hoped I’d one day get my dream of living a normal life. I just hope I’m making him proud.”
Consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Tallaght Hospital, Doctor Patrick Kiely, said: “This is a big step forward for us.
“The largest benefit of MAGEC rod technology is that it removes the need for repeat operations.
“With the rod, once the initial procedure has been carried out, the patient doesn’t have to undergo any more incisions. The spine is straightened externally using a remote control, which is painless and is performed without anaesthesia.
“This in turn minimises the risk of infection and limits the impact of the procedure on the patient.”
Scoliosis comes from the Greek word ‘skoliõsis’ which means ‘crooked’.
Now Deirdre is looking forward to a healthy, happy future with her boyfriend Robbie
Symptoms of the condition include a curved spine, prominent ribcage or shoulder blades and uneven arm and leg lengths.
It is estimated that 273 million people worldwide suffer from the condition, including celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Olympic runner Usain Bolt.
In the UK alone, approximately 45,000 children have scoliosis, with many having to undergo up to 20 corrective surgeries during their lifetime – at a massive £20K per procedure.
The MAGEC rod, which is manufactured in California by Ellipse Technologies, aims to not only change lives, but also cut costs by removing the need for repeat surgeries.
For more information on scoliosis, visit the Scoliosis Association's website at sauk.org.uk
Source: Express U.K , 29th Jan 2015
AN Irish woman has become the first adult in the world to receive a
revolutionary remote-controlled spine, which uses magnets to combat the
effects of scoliosis.
_________________________________________________________________
The surgery, also known as the magnetic expansion control system, involves the insertion of a magnetic rod that is screwed onto the spine and controlled externally in order to correct the curvature caused by scoliosis.
Up until now, the £15K procedure has only been performed on children, as it was thought only to be effective for early onset scoliosis – typically diagnosed before the age of ten.
But thanks to the success of Deirdre’s operation, doctors are now hopeful that the bone implant will help other adults, many of whom have undergone a number of unsuccessful and painful invasive surgeries in an attempt to straighten and lengthen their spine.
“The operation has completely changed my life. Before, I could only walk short distances without being in pain but now I love to walk everywhere," said Deirdre, from Drogheda, County Louth.
“After more than 30 years of operations and taking painkillers, I’m finally hopeful for the future.”
Her spine was so malformed that doctors warned she wouldn’t live past the age of seven.
Over the next ten years, she underwent eight painful operations as doctors battled to save her life.
Beating the odds, Deirdre survived childhood and trained at college to become a teacher.
I’m no longer in pain, and I feel so much more confident in myself
She said: “Because my spine was curved at 130 degrees, it formed into a C-shape and my lungs didn’t have room to expand so they never grew to full size.
"At my worst, my lungs were operating at only 30% of what they should have been.
“This meant that I was constantly poorly with pneumonia and chest infections. Doctors said they didn’t know what else they could do.
“Things got so bad that my doctor told me that if he didn’t operate, I’d be dead within ten years.”
As a child her spine was so malformed doctors warned she wouldn’t live past the age of seven.
Although MAGEC rod technology has existed since 2011, doctors initially didn’t see it as an option for Deirdre as it had previously only been performed on children.
However, after running out of options, doctors decided to operate.
Tallaght Hospital in Dublin was able to secure funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Deirdre underwent the three-hour operation in June last year.
Over the following months, her spine was straightened at regular intervals.
She said: “I’m no longer in pain, and I feel so much more confident in myself. Even little things like being able to wear pretty dresses or sit comfortably have made such a change.
“I feel so lucky to have been able to have this operation – it really has changed my life.
“Before my dad passed away in 2009, he told me that he hoped I’d one day get my dream of living a normal life. I just hope I’m making him proud.”
Consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Tallaght Hospital, Doctor Patrick Kiely, said: “This is a big step forward for us.
“The largest benefit of MAGEC rod technology is that it removes the need for repeat operations.
“With the rod, once the initial procedure has been carried out, the patient doesn’t have to undergo any more incisions. The spine is straightened externally using a remote control, which is painless and is performed without anaesthesia.
“This in turn minimises the risk of infection and limits the impact of the procedure on the patient.”
Scoliosis comes from the Greek word ‘skoliõsis’ which means ‘crooked’.
Now Deirdre is looking forward to a healthy, happy future with her boyfriend Robbie
It is estimated that 273 million people worldwide suffer from the condition, including celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Olympic runner Usain Bolt.
In the UK alone, approximately 45,000 children have scoliosis, with many having to undergo up to 20 corrective surgeries during their lifetime – at a massive £20K per procedure.
The MAGEC rod, which is manufactured in California by Ellipse Technologies, aims to not only change lives, but also cut costs by removing the need for repeat surgeries.
For more information on scoliosis, visit the Scoliosis Association's website at sauk.org.uk
Source: Express U.K , 29th Jan 2015
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